Her Black Heart
by TwentyRoses92
Summary: Bellatrix Lestrange was not born into insanity and maniacal laughter. Events in her life shaped her later choices. Who could have known her life was so heavily influenced by the man her sister would marry? For a HPFC Challenge - full summary inside.


**A/N: **On the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum, the following challenge (I'm paraphrasing!) was posted by **Aieika**: Write a chapter or drabble featuring a pair that is _. Aieika provided a list of characteristics to fill in that blank, such as Chivalrous, Smug, Awkward, You Personal Favorite, etc. Her challenge was to write a chapter for _each_ of her descriptive words. The same character can be used in multiple fics, but the pairings can only be used once. For a full list of rules, copy and paste this link (http : / forum . fanfiction . net / topic / 44309 / 32103413 / 1 / #37012990) into your browser; you'll have to remove the spaces, as is picky about posting URLs.

I encourage everyone to join the fun! Fic challenges are a great way to overcome writer's block and work on your writing skills. You may not wish to join this particular challenge, but if you see a descriptive word that instantly makes you think of a pairing you would like me to write, send me a PM and I'll work on it!

Actually, just check out the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum. There are tons of great challenges for anyone who's interested!

This fic takes place in the 8 years between Lucius's graduation and Draco's birth. Although JKR would probably not agree to it being canon, it had no bearing on the books, and everything is assumed to continue as we have read at the story's end.

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**Title: **_Her Black Heart_

**Theme: **_5 – Twisted_

**My Chosen Pairing: **_Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy_

**Rating: **_Mature – explicit sexual scenes and minor violence_

**Summary: **_Bellatrix wasn't always so twisted and cruel to those around her. In her youth, she was as carefree as a properly disciplined child could be. Something in her life had to alter her views – to make her heart so dark. That something may well have been her sister's future husband._

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Narcissa took her black handkerchief and dabbed it daintily under nose. Whether from the cemetery's dreary atmosphere or from the winter chill, her nose was adamant to dribble in a very unsophisticated manner.

The thinnest layer of snow blanketed the Black Family cemetery, and the flakes were still falling determinedly. Narcissa desperately wished Draco could have accompanied her on this chilled November night, but he was occupied with a crazed Astoria. Narcissa could hardly fault the couple, as Astoria was several days over due for the birth of the next Malfoy family heir. She had finally allowed Draco to settle her into St. Mungo the day previously, and Draco had not left her side for a moment since. Still, November was a difficult month for Narcissa.

Two November's previously, her beloved husband had passed from their world to the next. After the Final Battle, as it had been aptly dubbed, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Lucius had returned to Azkaban to finish off his six month sentence for breaking into the Department of Mysteries several years before that. Thanks to Harry Potter (a sentence Narcissa had been uncomfortable stating for some time), her husband was not sentenced any further time for the crimes their family had committed in the war; their help in the final moments of the battle had paid off well. But the six months remaining in Azkaban had not done well for Lucius's health. He fell ill as a result of the unclean atmosphere and lurking chill, even with the Dementors having gone.

It was two November's previously that Ministry officials came to her ornate Manor door, and they regrettably informed her of his death. Although she and Lucius had often differed when it came to parenting styles toward their only son, she loved the man dearly, and he her. It was a gruff love on the surface, with tender moments only ever surfacing in their time alone together. She missed those moments dearly.

November was always a difficult month.

As the Malfoy cemetery had been unfortunately marred during wartime battles, she had chosen to bury her husband in her own family's cemetery. Lucius understood her noble heritage, and she did not fear she had slighted him. He was buried in a special plot, with a space reserved for her resting close by. Not a far walk away were the bodies of her own parents, Cygnus and Druella Black. After decorating Lucius's grave with a single charmed green rose, she had given a blue and pink rose to her mother and father's graves, respectively. Lucuis had once chuckled at her observance of their favorite colors, but it had been tradition since she had first visited the grave of her grandparents as a small child.

With one last look at her parent's stones, Narcissa turned and picked her way carefully over more of the snow, walking to another part of the cemetery not far away. She shut her eyes and gathered her wits before turning to fully face the headstone of her long deceased sister, Bellatrix Lestrange née Black.

Of course, no body was buried here; Narcissa had spent a fair share of her time wondering exactly what had happened to the body of her sister after the final battle, but she was wary of inquiring at the Ministry. Their family was not paying dearly like many other Death Eaters, but they were in no way valued members of society at the time. So Narcissa had done the most respectful thing she could, and placed a headstone in her family graveyard with Bella's name carved into the dark stone.

It had not been a difficult process. Narcissa had been surprised by that fact initially; the passing of her parents had hit her very deeply, and she remembered suffering in a deep depression for the following months. When Bella had died (Narcissa had even witnessed her death), there had been no cold emptiness, broken feeling, or uncontrollable tears. Narcissa had worried for her own health, until the tombstone was finally erected in the cemetery, and she realized the reason behind her lack of grief – Narcissa had mourned the lost of her sister long ago.

Bellatrix had slipped from her fingers long before the war had truly begun. She had always been rather sardonic in her humor and a bit reserved, but something had shifted in the years following her graduation from Hogwarts. She had become angry. She reveled in destruction, and it was not uncommon to find her torturing her house elves for the smallest of discrepancies. She drew away from Narcissa as a family member and friend. When Bella made her real personality known in the early years of the war, Narcissa had slowly accepted the demise of a sister she once loved so dearly.

Narcissa still was uncertain how three siblings as different as herself, Bellatrix and Andromeda had come about. Rather than ponder it for too long, Narcissa had taken the steps to mending a very bruised ad battered relationship with Andy right after the war; she had even played an active role in helping to raise Andy's grandchild, Teddy Lupin.

Gingerly bending down in her polished boots, Narcissa placed the black rose atop the thick white snow. She sniffed again. She had heard rumors for years that Bellatrix had been unstable; the wizarding world often asked how someone could do such tortuous things and not have a mental handicap. But Narcissa knew otherwise. She remembered the small child who wove flowers into Narcissa's hair, and in turn allowed Narcissa to do the same. She remembered the young woman who wore a pink dress to the Black family summer reunion. She remembered the youthful smile not tainted by a sadistic curl of her upper lip. Narcissa knew her sister was not born into insanity, but she could offer no answer as to why she had spiraled so far out of control.

Narcissa straightened her knees again, pulling her cloak tightly around her shoulders, she spared one last look at her lost sister's grave, wondering as she did each November what had happened to such a happy young child to turn her heart so truly Black.

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"Sit up straight, Bellatrix," her father hissed. Not a moment later, Bella felt a sharp pain sear through her right thigh as her father directed a nasty stinging hex her way. She moved to straighten her spine; her features never cracked, and no indication of the lingering sting she felt shone through.

Next to her, her younger sister Narcissa took her hand gently. "Smile, Bella. It will be a good night. It's nearly Christmas, after all."

Bella snorted quietly to herself. That was nothing she was surprised to hear from her youngest sister, her head filled with dreams of mistletoe and faeries. "Of course, Cissy. Another night spent fraternizing with a bunch of old hags drinking scotch and talking about their Ministry jobs."

Another particularly sharp hex hissed through her leg, and her father shot her a withering glare.

"Don't be such a drama queen, Bella," Andromeda sniffed from her chair. "Rodolphus will be here, you know."

"How invigorating," Bella drawled. She was not particularly looking forward to dancing with the man notorious for stepping on her toes. She growled toward the door. "The prat's late."

Luckily, her father missed that slip of the tongue.

"I'm sure he's just readying himself," Narcissa defended her friend. "It's a big day for him, you know."

"You forget, Cissy, I've already graduated. I know all of the huff and puff that goes along with it. The Pampered Prince is probably fussing over his robes like a thirteen year old Gryffindor."

Narcissa huffed and turned away from her older sister. Thankful for the momentary silence from her family, Bella looked again to the door that was scheduled to open… five minutes previously. The Malfoy family had made a big celebration out of their only son finally walking across the stage of Hogwarts, although he had become of age several months previously. Bella thought the whole thing pretentious, but that didn't surprise her.

After another several minutes of subdued table talk that Bella pointedly tried to ignore, Abraxas Malfoy entered through the grand door and cleared his throat. He addressed the room briefly before introducing the next Malfoy family heir. Purebloods around the room stood to honor the blond prat as he strode haughtily through the door, and Bellatrix slow clapped mockingly. Of course, her claps blended in with those around her, so no one but her sister Andy took notice, and she merely smirked and rolled her eyes.

Champagne was poured and the toasts were made, then the modest band began to play, and couples ranging from older than dirt to those still in school took to the floor. Bellatrix watched with indifference, running her finger around the edge of her glass – an action that certain broke etiquette, but she wasn't particularly bothered.

She could only escape Rodolphus Lestrange for so long. Eventually, the young man found her at the table. Her mother had recently mentioned he might be taking a more permanent role in her future, and she recommended Bella get to know him better. Bella could not have been more repulsed by the thought, regardless of his attractive dark eyes and toned arms. He had offered one of those said arms when he approached. "You look lovely, Miss Black. May I lead you in a dance?"

Bella's extended silence earned her another hex from her father, and she begrudgingly nodded. She accepted his offered arm and silently apologized to her toes.

After running the rounds for nearly an hour, she finally made her excuses to Rodolphus and stepped away from his company. Passing a waiter as she walked across the room, Bellatrix knicked three flutes of champagne from his tray. Intertwining the stems between her long fingers, she used her free hand to push carefully through the door to the ballroom. Her heels clicked loudly in the marble hall as she maneuvered her way to the back balcony. The Blacks and the Malfoy's having been close family friends since before her birth, she knew their manor nearly as well as she knew her own. The crisp July air that met her when she threw open the glass door was refreshing, and she reveled in her solitude.

Resting with her arms leaning against the iron railing, she plucked up one flute of champagne and downed the drink in one gulp. She hissed as the bubbles assaulted her throat, but the warming in her belly was satisfying. Humming to herself in pleasure, she extracted her wand from the folds of her dress and twirled it through her fingers. It took her a moment to find a playmate, but a spider eventually danced across her line of sight. She smirked, aiming a stinging hex in its path. She missed, and the spider scuttled in the opposite direction. The next fives minutes she spent directing the spider's path along the ground, humming a tune to herself she could not place.

Bella was so happy to be away from the crowds, she cursed aloud when she heard the balcony door open.

Her intruder chuckled. "That's no way for a lady to speak, Bella."

"Shove off, Malfoy," she spat, extracting the second champagne from her fingers. She suddenly felt as if she needed it. "Why are you here?"

"For the same reasons as you," Lucius replied, loosing the top buttons on his robe and standing straight as a board beside her. "These functions run the same routine, and they're a bore when father prohibits any alcohol for my pleasure."

Bella snorted. "Right, Malfoy. Don't tell me you don't love these balls – hundreds of Purebloods falling over to kiss your shoes. Are these events the reason you're head's so inflated, or is that simply bad genetics?"

Lucius hummed quietly into the summer breeze. He reached over and picked the third champagne flute out of her hand before she could tighten her hold around the stem. "Has the lack of attention laid on your person made you jealous, Bella?"

"Hardly," she growled, watching as he dirtied her glass with his lips. "Its your unfortunate presence that has put me in a foul mood."

"I am very sorry for that." Lucius didn't sound sorry.

"You should watch your tone, Malfoy." Bella sneered, turning to lean on one arm as she looked up at him. "I might let slip to your parents about your little run around the bush with Cindy Bufford."

Lucius' eyes hardened. "I've no idea what you're talking about."

Bellatrix barked out a laugh, standing up fully to meet him. "Don't play dumb, Malfoy. I saw you walking with that filth just after the graduation ceremony. She was giving you the eye."

Lucius sneered. "I would never touch a half-blood like her."

"Oh, but you would touch a half-blood?" Bella taunted. "That's interesting. Maybe that little Jenny girl you had your eye on your second year still stands a chance? Your father would love to hear that."

Lucius growled low in his throat. He took a step toward her, but Bella jumped back with a smirk. Another step forward, though, and she jumped back into the iron rail. She looked bewildered, not having realized she was so close to the end of the balcony.

"I would never touch a _mudblood_, Black," Lucius hissed as he backed her fully into the corner. "Don't you dare insinuate I would ever speak with such filth."

"Step away from me, Malfoy," Bellatrix demanded, her teasing grin now gone as he stepped into her space.

Lucius smirked the same smirk his father always carried. "What are you going to do about it, Black?"

Bellatrix didn't hesitate a moment to spit directly into the haughty face.

Sputtering with rage, Lucius took a surprised step back, bringing his hand up to wipe her saliva from his cheek. Moments later, he was back against her. He brought his hand up and let it fall across her cheek, the sound echoing in the dark night. "You're a disgusting excuse for a pureblood, Black."

His slap had not phased her one bit. Having been at the end of her father's punishments more times in her life than she could count, his reaction did nothing but egg her on. Bellatrix tried to move against him, feeling something hard pressed against her pelvis, a sudden smirk slithering onto her face. "A disgusting Pureblood you seem to be craving, eh, Malfoy?"

Lucius hissed when Bella pushed her hips forward into his, bumping again against the hard length she had felt before. "Don't, Black."

"Why?" Bella laughed, going against his word and bucking her hips forward again. She looked around at the balcony. "You won't do anything. You don't have the spine."

Although he was two years her junior, Lucius towered over her by several inches, and Bellatrix was quite tall. He stared down at her with a look filled with distaste as he leaned over her form, causing her spine to bend over the rail. His right hand roughly pulled the dress from her thigh, his long fingers splaying across the newly exposed flesh of her leg. He crawled those same fingers up and over her leg, snapping the thin string of her panties when he reached her hip. With no ado, he ran a finger over her cotton-covered core, unsurprised to find her wet beneath him.

Lucius leered at Bella beneath him. "Seems you're as eager as you think I am."

"Malfoy," Bella growled, unaware her hips rotated light circles against his fingers still playing over her knickers. "Don't start anything you don't plan to finish."

With another Malfoy smirk, Lucius ripped her panties with a twist and a pull. "I hope you're prepared to put your galleons where your mouth is, angel."

"Don't call me that," Bella hissed, watching as he quickly untied his robes and undid his trousers, spilling his large length out into the summer air between them.

"Sorry, sweetness," he mocked her, leaning forward to rub his erection through her soaked folds. "Let me make it up to you."

If it hadn't been for the loud band playing downstairs, the entire party might have heard Bellatrix's screams issue into the night air as Lucius rammed into her over the balcony railing.

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She had been watching him the entire night. Clad in his button up shirt and long slacks, she could see little more than the pale skin of his hands and neck. She wanted to know if the rumors were true. If it were she, she would have been bursting to brag.

Narcissa yawned widely, and Bellatrix suggested she retire to her bed. With a smile of appreciation to her older sister, Narcissa bid them goodnight.

The moment the doors clicked shut, Bellatrix dove over the middle couch cushion that separated their bodies and plucked his wrist from his lap, taking a firm hold in case he tried to pull away. She opted to pull the sleeve of his shirt up roughly rather than take time with the buttons. Above her, Lucius made a dissatisfied hum, but she ignored him. Rolling the sleeve over his arm, she found what she was looking for.

The black ink on his arm glistened in the candlelit library. A large skull was tattooed near the crux of his bicep and forearm, with its mouth open in an expression Bellatrix thought equated well to anger. From the skull's mouth, a serpent uncoiled over his flesh, twisting and turning about until the head finally came to rest just above his wrist. Bellatrix made a soft hiss as her finger darted out to trace the black ink.

"You haven't told anyone," she commented quietly.

"My father was with me," Lucius returned, watching as she continued her examination of his new mark. "With the Ministry acting as they are, currently, we thought it best to keep my status under wraps. He has tasks for me which can be better completed in secrecy."

Bella's gaze instantly rose, locking with his own cold eyes. Something sparkled in her look. "What kind of tasks?"

"That's not for me to discuss with you, Bella." Lucius offered an emotionless smirk.

"Sure you aren't just too much of a coward to declare your allegiance, Malfoy?"

Lucius hardened his gaze as Bella smirked up at him. "Are you questioning His decision to keep this a private matter?"

"Not at all," Bella returned, running her finger over the mark again. "I'm blatantly questioning your courage, Mafloy. I have good reason to, don't I? You've never shown any indication you're anything more than Daddy's little pureblood snot, with your arrogant speech and—"

For the second time in his life, Lucius hit a woman. For the second time in her life, Bellatrix felt the passion of something more significant than excitement flow through her veins. Since he had first laid his hand to her cheek on the night of his graduation ball, she had been determined to make him do so again, if only so she could explore those feelings he had instilled in her in that moment.

Tonight, she got her wish. It was everything she remembered it to be – the stinging against her face, the heated temperature of her skin, the quickened heartbeats that pounded through her ear, the darkened look in his eyes.

Bellatrix's lips curved upward into a small smile.

Lucius watched her carefully, a palpable silence falling between them while he studied her. "You did that on purpose. You provoked me."

"You've such an awfully big head, Malfoy," Bella taunted back. The pleased look didn't leave her eyes as she changed the topic. "Do you want to see what I've done?"

Before he could decline, certain her actions were something foul he wished not to associate with himself, Bella unfastened the first clasp of her blouse, removing her hand from his forearm for the first time in minutes. Shocked, Lucius merely watched as she removed the next three clasps, exposing the skin down to her navel. When she raised her head, she tsk'd and smirked at his momentary lack of conscious.

"Father hasn't let me go to him, yet," Bella whispered softly into the room, drawing Lucius' attention back to her face. "I wanted to make a promise to one day do so, though. To show my support."

Bella took her gaze from Lucius as she reached to her blouse, pulling the cotton to the side with her long fingers. Lucius followed her movements with his eyes. Just above her left breasts, she bore a tattoo similar in black coloring to his. A large serpent with its head raised sat coiled on her skin, the dark ink contrasting deeply with her pale skin.

Bella reached out again and took his hand in hers, bringing it to trace the outline of her mark. She hissed as his fingers touched her cool skin.

Lucius had thought about the witch in front of him several times in the last year after their encounter on the balcony. She had a dark sort of elegance and beauty about her that was enough to make any man pause, and her sharp tongue was an aspect Lucius enjoyed on occasion. But her temper and lack of respect for anyone other than herself, and now her Lord, turned Lucius off to the idea of pursuing anything further. He had distanced himself for a while. Now, though, the full rampaging army of hormones were swirling through his gut as he ghosted his fingers across the top of her bosom, her small hisses ever the encouraging noise to his easily responsive young body.

"You enjoyed this," Lucius stated, not feeling the need to directly state the incident they both knew he spoke of.

Bella met his look with a dark glint in her eye. "I enjoy this. I never said I enjoy you."

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Lucius drawled, running his fingers over the cotton of her dark lingerie. He found her pert nipple and pinched it roughly, drawing a gasp followed by a heated look from her. "The feeling's mutual."

The two watched each other with dark eyes as he continued his rough assault against her chest, eventually delving beneath the garment to pinch her harder. Bella crawled her hands to rest on his thighs, gasping as he induced a heavy mix of pleasure and pain over her nerves, pulling her to a place she had only experienced with several other men. It was one of her reasons for so badly wanting to lure Lucius back to her – with his family's past, she was certain he would feel no reservations about a little rough play.

Soon, they divested each other of their clothing, and Bella found herself impaled again and again on his rock hard length as he drove into her from behind. She reveled in the feel of him hitting hard against her cervix and his neat nails digging into her thighs. Giving as good as she got, they soon tumbled over the proverbial cliff, clutching at the velvet couch as they pulled the very last bit of feeling from one another.

In the aftermath, they gathered their clothing without words, Lucius only pausing to watch as the dark tattoo over her breast was again covered by the fabric of her shirt. When he could no longer see the mark, he lifted his head and walked to the door, intent on returning home and taking a long bath before bed.

Bella watched him from the corner of her heavily lidded eye, debating whether or not to approach the subject of their late night rendezvous. Swallowing her momentary doubt, she lifted her own head; no one ever rejected Bellatrix Black.

"My family will be visiting your manor in two days time," Bella spoke powerful, yet subtle invitation into the quiet room.

Lucius never acknowledged her with his words, but his presence waiting for her in the halls of his manor in two days time was enough of a response.

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Narcissa bounded into her room following the short series of knocks on her door, jumping to land on her sister's bed with a delighted noise. "Bella! Oh, Bella, I've wonderful news!"

Picking her nose up from her book, Bellatrix raised a dark eyebrow at her sister. "Oh, do go on."

Narcissa missed the sarcasm in her voice, bouncing excitedly on her heels. "Daddy has just been to speak with Mister Abraxas. Lucius and I are to be married!"

Bella's previously bored expression sunk from her face as she stared at her sister. She swallowed to whet her mouth as she nodded. "That's great, Cissy."

"Oh, I can't wait to tell And—" The words fell from Narcissa's lips as quickly as she cut them off. She looked up to stare at Bella with wide, sad eyes.

Bella sneered. "She's a blood traitor now, Cissy; you're better than her."

"Of course," Narcissa responded, sniffling into the back of her hand. She shook her head, the grin coming back to her face. "I'm going to go to Mummy; she's a much better gossip than you, Bella."

"Indeed," Bella hissed as Narcissa laughed one more time, jumping from her bed and bounding out of the room.

Tossing her book on the floor, Bella walked to her vanity to pick up her wand, fingering it momentarily before spinning on the spot with a crack. She reappeared on a slanted surface, balancing herself on the rooftop as she quietly picked her way toward his window. Finding it slightly ajar (she had learned long ago he loved the summer breeze), Bella lifted it with her fingers and wiggled her body inside.

Lucius was standing at his dresser, rearranging something she could not see. He heard her land lightly on the carpet, turning to ask why she felt the need to use the window rather than the door. He never made it to his question, though. With several short strides, Bellatrix had crossed the room and sunk down onto her knees, her fingers making quick work of his belt and trousers.

When the garments reached his ankles, Bella took his member into her long fingers, gently pumping him to full attention within moments. Lucius groaned quietly – the first noise that had come from either of them. With a quick glance upward, Bella flicked her tongue outward and along the erect length, circling his tip when she reached it. She continued, lathering him in her saliva. Finally, she took his tip into her mouth, running circles with her tongue and sucking gently on the way out.

Lucius moaned again, encouraging her to continue. She obeyed, taking him further into her mouth slowly, pulling out again with practiced ease, and repeating the passes over and over. Eventually, his hand came up to intertwine in her black locks, pushing her harder, deeper onto him as he pumped into her wet cavern. She moaned with him, feeling him bump against the back of her throat. They continued until his pumping became erratic and his breathing heaving, and Bella moved her hands to grasp his wrists, prying them from her hair and removing her mouth.

Bellatrix knew she was no altruistic saint. She had not come with the intent of getting his rocks off while her own needs whined for attention. She stood and began divesting her own trousers and knickers, discarding them on the floor without a second thought. She pushed Lucius with her hands, turning him to land on the couch, and quickly climbing on to straddle him between her hips.

Bracing herself on the back of the expensive piece of furniture, Bella lowered herself onto his length, hissing at the exquisite feeling of being filled again. It only took her several moments to become familiar with his girth, and Lucius took her hips to piston in and out of her harder, faster, with more enthusiasm. Knowing her would find his satisfaction before she found hers, Bella maneuvered her hand between their bodies, working over her pearl as he continued to slam into her pussy. She circled with her fingers, quickly finding the feeling she craved, latching onto it like a lifeline. With a few more pumps and circles of her fingers, the two came together in a whirlwind of moans, sweat, and explicative words.

Bella rested her head on the couch as opposed to his shoulder. After a minute of recovery, she pulled herself off of his quickly softening dick and rested again against the couch. Lucius was the first to rise, retrieving his pants from around his ankles and fixing his belt to look proper. Bella watched him with heavy eyes as he fixed himself, pretending she wasn't there. She hated to be ignored so blatantly.

"I know about you and Cissy," she finally breathed into the aftermath. It was the first words she had spoken since coming to him. "Shall I tell her you're a cheating scumbag or would you care to do it?"

Lucius chuckled. "While the marriage has been decided, I have yet to offer a proposal. You forget, Bella, our families still insist on keeping the romantic traditions intact. Until I ask for her hand, she is not yet mine."

Bella opened her mouth to respond, but words failed her as she looked into his smirking face.

"You were an adorable way to pass the time," Lucius mocked, bringing his hand up to pat her cheek like she was a child. "But never a long term solution. You lack the civility and grace to become a Malfoy, Bella. Perhaps a Lestrange, but never a Malfoy."

Bellatrix fought the urge to cringe as he delivered the final blow, going as far as to bring up the impending marriage between her and the Roldophus boy. The fact remained, he had never felt anything for her, and try as she might, her feelings of hatred had blossomed into something more – whether it was love or infatuation, she was not sure. Her heart whined, nonetheless, constricting in her chest as she kept her breathing normal. Like it or not, Lucius Malfoy had been her first… something. Her heart blackened a bit at the thought as she realized her weakness.

Lucius turned away from her, looking into his vanity to fix his hair after their escapade. Bella clenched her fists at her side as she watched him so nonchalantly ignore her presence.

"If you hurt her, Malfoy, I'll see to it your balls become a permanent fixture on my mantle," she hissed into the quiet, narrowing her eyes at him menacingly.

Lucius moved his hands to his cuffs, fixing the buttons as her caught her eye in the mirror. "I would do no such thing, Bella. As difficult as it may be for you to accept, I generally find comfort in treating true ladies how they ought to be treated. And Narcissa is certainly a true lady. A very pretty one, at that."

Bella kept her head high as she turned toward away to his window. Having ensured what happiness she could for her younger sister, she felt her job was done. She could waste no more time dallying with the prat, After all, the Dark Lord had indicated he would visit the Black family home that night, and Bellatrix fully intended on speaking with the man – alone.

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**A/N: **Tom Riddle reemerged and declared himself Lord Voldemort in 1970. Lucius graduated in 1972. Although it has been implied he was wed to Narcissa shortly after his graduation, Draco was not born until 1980. It is within those 8 years that the story operates; there is no indication what took place at the time, so I used creative license to fill it.


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